Online portal helps navigate REACH maze

Irish software provider CREMe's Research Network (CRN) will allow firms to analyse and share food and chemical data to complement and corroborate their own research, the company claims.

The portal will help European companies comply with EU legislation, which requires that all materials that come into contact with cosmetics and toiletries comply with health standards and are used according to "good manufacturing practice" (GMP).

A significant problem for the industry stems from chemicals that can migrate from the packaging to the cosmetics they contain. Companies are constantly testing chemicals used in processing and packaging, to avoid brand value damaging health scares and costly product recalls.

Likewise, REACH will also put greater stress on the need to for formulators to ensure that they comply with the new regulations, particularly companies exporting to the EU from countries that do not have such far-reaching regulations

Researchers, regulators as well as the industry can use information held on the database as point of reference to ensure best practices are shared and adhered to internationally, claims CREMe.

The company said the new network will improve product development and safety, as more and more expert opinions are added to the database.

Users will require the CREMe 2.0 web-based tool to access the database.

From June 2007 the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) will force companies to gather information on the properties of their substance and to register the information in a central database, run by a chemicals agency.